That is a logic fail IMO. He doesn't have to take 10-15 terrible shots to do those things. If he's going to take pressure off Demar, it'd be better if they use him as a fake (especially when he's colder than ice) rather than attempt 25 shots (alot of which were bad).

I'd rather someone else (like Bargs, Lucas, Amir or Ross) take those shots and he does the other stuff like rebounding and playing def when he's cold.

He didn't take 10-15 terrible shots.

Now there were certainly ~5 ill advised shots which I can live with, then there were ~3 shots he was fouled on, then there were another ~3 shots that he just missed that he should have made. Finally, you're not always going to make every shot.

Wed Feb 20th, 2013, 07:06 AM

planetmars

Quote:

Matt52 wrote:

He didn't take 10-15 terrible shots.

Now there were certainly ~5 ill advised shots which I can live with, then there were ~3 shots he was fouled on, then there were another ~3 shots that he just missed that he should have made. Finally, you're not always going to make every shot.

When a player gets fouled during a shot attempt is that considered a field goal attempt? I actually always thought that wasn't the case.

Wed Feb 20th, 2013, 07:12 AM

KHD

Quote:

planetmars wrote:

When a player gets fouled during a shot attempt is that considered a field goal attempt? I actually always thought that wasn't the case.

No, it isn't an attempt unless he makes it. Matt is just pointing out that some of Gay's misses were on obvious fouls that were not called.

Wed Feb 20th, 2013, 07:15 AM

mcHAPPY

Quote:

KHD wrote:

No, it isn't an attempt unless he makes it. Matt is just pointing out that some of Gay's misses were on obvious fouls that were not called.

Yes. Thanks for clarifying.

Wed Feb 20th, 2013, 07:21 AM

Rapstor4Life

Not every player is Kareem Abdul Jabaar avg 55.6% or Larry Bird avg 50% on fga guys come on! lol

Wed Feb 20th, 2013, 07:35 AM

mcHAPPY

Once you get past the first paragraph, not a bad article.

Quote:

The NBA TV is harder to find for Rudy Gay since he came to Toronto, not to mention the SportsCenter highlights that the Baltimore native has been such a big part of since being shipped to Canada.

There's the cold, the customs, and all the adjustments of international living that stars who came before him – from Tracy McGrady to Vince Carter and Chris Bosh – learned to live with. But Gay, who was traded from Memphis on Jan. 30 and has led the Raptors to a 6-2 record, five wins in a row, since his arrival, is fitting in just fine.

"I see this (Raptors team) as another Memphis," Gay, who has hit two game-winning shots and is averaging 21.3 points per game since coming to Canada, told USA TODAY Sports by phone in a lengthy interview on Saturday. "A lot of the pieces are there."

No one has ever heard of the internet? I understand it allows you to watch highlights on ESPN.com and NBA.com. Also, the Raps have been highlight staples in the US since the trade. This doesn't anger me so much as make me roll my eyes.

Quote:

But when Gay shared his frustrations by telling a Toronto sports radio station that there was "nothing" he would miss about Memphis, he knew he'd gone too far.

"Obviously that was just out of a little bit of anger," Gay said. "There were a lot of people in Memphis and a lot of relationships I left in Memphis that I'll always have. I'm so thankful for the city doing what they've done for me up until now."

What the Grizzlies did and why, meanwhile, still doesn't sit well with him.

Quote:

The unexpected change in scenery had everything to do with Bryan Colangelo's determination to do this deal, as the Toronto general manager relentlessly pursued the player he had coveted for so long.

When the Raptors took Andrea Bargnani first overall in the 2006 draft, Colangelo had Gay ranked second on his list. When word started to spread that Gay may want out of Memphis, Colangelo called on several occasions in "the last year and a half" to see if he could help with that cause. Teams like Phoenix, New Orleans, Brooklyn, and Golden State showed varying levels of interest in landing Gay, but none were as motivated as the Raptors.

Colangelo, who is in the last year of his contract, did the trade without knowing whether Gay would re-sign if he opts out in the summer. He had requested to speak with Gay beforehand as a way of assessing whether he would be unhappy with the move, but the request was declined by the Grizzlies.

"It was a calculated risk," Colangelo said.

Said Gay: "BC, he had a plan for me before I even got here. It's been good to see the plan go off like he expected … He's a great basketball mind. Everybody knows that. And he's doing a good job trying to form this team to be a competitor in the East."

In Colangelo's mind, the idea of waiting to get Gay in the summer wasn't an option. Not only was he unsure if he'd be around to revisit this possibility, but one of the pieces that made the trade work, point guard Jose Calderon, was set to be a free agent. Calderon netted the Grizzlies Tayshaun Prince and Austin Daye in the deal from Detroit, while Colangelo – who was well aware that Calderon wasn't expected to re-sign as a free agent – ultimately viewed third-year forward Ed Davis and a second-round pick that went to Memphis as his only losses.

Quote:

THE FUTURE

As for the prospect of Gay staying in Toronto for the long-term, he laughed when pressed for an answer, "I've played six games. I don't know about (re-signing), but I love the organization. I possibly could be here for the rest of my career, but who knows."

Colangelo has a realist's view of the situation.

"It's been very clear that (Gay and his representatives) want to obviously see how this plays out, to be in a situation that's competitive," Colangelo told USA TODAY Sports. "He has now tasted a winning environment with the team they'd assembled in Memphis, and he wants to find that again. I'm hopeful to put us in a position where we can offer just that to Rudy and others that we are putting our stamp on this franchise.

"He clearly is emerging as our No. 1 option right now, and to be a No. 1 option in a competitive situation is pretty appealing … It's a chance to establish a marketing identity and presence in two markets. You really have the best of both worlds. You can market yourself to the Canadian marketplace as a completely separate entity and the American marketplace as a separate entity."

But it's also a proposal that has been turned down before. Bosh left for Miami in the infamous summer of 2010 to join LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, and Canadian point guard Steve Nash opted to sign with the Lakers last summer rather than return to his native land, in large part, because his children were in nearby Phoenix.

"This is not a specific problem to Toronto," Colangelo said. "It's league-wide now, other than the top three markets – LA, Chicago and New York – and the five teams there. Then the Miamis, Dallas, and maybe a Phoenix for climate (reasons). This is a situation that quite a few teams, maybe 25 teams, are dealing with year in and year out."

As for whether Toronto's cold climate could deter Gay from staying, he reiterated what Colangelo had pointed out at his new player's introductory press conference: "It's cold, but I went to Connecticut and I'm from Maryland, so it's not far from that."

Nice to see some common sense on the weather.

The above is another reason why the Raps should do the Boozer deal. Gay is coming from a situation where ownership was making financial moves and not basketball moves. Toronto is a huge market, extremely profitable, and owned by corporations with very deep pockets. Getting Boozer makes Toronto very competitive now and provides flexibility to maintain competitiveness with his huge expiring contract in 2 seasons when repeater tax is kicking in.

Quote:

The Raptors, who got off to a horrific 4-19 start but are now just six games out of playoff position, have quickly become one of the most compelling teams around.

The Raptors' DeMar DeRozan, who signed a four-year, $40 million extension on Oct. 31 and who Gay called the best shooting guard he had played with in his seven-year career, has benefited from Gay's presence and is playing better than ever. Kyle Lowry is a longtime friend and the kind of up-tempo point guard that Gay enjoys. The anger and surprise have subsided, it seems, and Gay's new life north of the border is just fine indeed.

"I'm excited about this team – excited about the possibilities of how good we can be," he said. "It was kind of a mixture of feelings when it first happened, getting traded and not knowing anything and one day thinking you're competing for a championship and the next day you're getting shipped off somewhere. It was a mixture of feelings…and now I've just got to embrace where I'm at. I'm happy I'm a Raptor right now… I want to see this team be a good team, to be a playoff team again."

38% FG 24% from 3. There is no way you can defend him taking 21 shots a game at that average.

Wed Feb 20th, 2013, 02:05 PM

DoNDaDDa

no one saying shit cause rudy gotten the job done when it counted...hopfully we see his % get better but i cant complain about the results since hes been here. i cant say ive liked Lowry's attitude lately though..seems to loose his cool quite a bit more since Jose's been gone, more PT=More Mistakes for lowry.. i dont see him being a Starter on this team long term

Wed Feb 20th, 2013, 02:08 PM

RaptorsFan4Life

Quote:

DoNDaDDa wrote:

no one saying shit cause rudy gotten the job done when it counted...hopfully we see his % get better but i cant complain about the results since hes been here

Except he's not. He's the face of the franchise so he's getting all the credit. He made some big plays in some games but others have stepped up to win the game majority of the games (AA, Lucas, Demar, Bargs and Amir).

Wed Feb 20th, 2013, 02:16 PM

DoNDaDDa

Quote:

RaptorsFan4Life wrote:

Except he's not. He's the face of the franchise so he's getting all the credit. He made some big plays in some games but others have stepped up to win the game majority of the games (AA, Lucas, Demar, Bargs and Amir).

others have stepped it up yes but rudy has hit 2 game winners since being here & his pressence has helped give confidence to his team mates. if we go on a losing streak im sure plenty of people will point the finger at rudy then..it comes with the title of Franchise Guy...not sure he is that guy but we'll see soon im sure

Q.: Firstly, there are a couple of comments you made that were perceived to be critical of your former Griz teammates and Memphis. What did you mean Feb. 12 when you were quoted saying ďIt's amazing what you can do when your teammates are behind youĒ after scoring a game-winning basket to beat Denver?

A.: I was talking about that game. I was in foul trouble. Itís crazy how people are hanging on every word when Iím not even there. I was talking about a basketball game. I almost fouled out and they wanted me to take the last shot. My teammates were behind me. You know what I mean? I was still learning the offense and that wasnít my best shooting game, and they still had the faith in me to say go win the game.

Q.: What did you mean when asked ĎWhat do you miss about Memphis?Ē and you said ďnothing.Ē

A.: Yeah. I said Ďnothingí because I was mad. Think about it. If youíre somebody who has done so much in that community and in that city and then out of nowhere just get thrown away, youíd be mad too. Shoot. Thatís where I lived. Obviously, thereís stuff I miss about it. I miss my house. I miss the people. I was mad. But Iím thankful for everybody who helped me there and I love the people there. To the organization Ö this year, I canít have any pity for the organization because of how they handled the trade. The city? Yeah, I miss it. Hopefully I still have fans there. There are people there who were great to me. David Porter has been a mentor to me since I got there. There are people in Memphis I definitely miss.

Q.: What do you think about the trade now?

A.: When you get traded youíve got to move on. Whatís crazy is they never told me I was on the market. It could have been handled totally different. I felt like we could have made moves and took a run at a championship. That was on my mind. I was thinking damn we built this team from the ground up. They can say what they want about us Ė that we couldnít play together and all of that. But at the end of the day we were a team and we did a lot for each other. The real people that know me know that I was with the team and I was trying to win.

Q.: Whatís your opinion of the package the Griz got in return?

A.: Iíve watched two games since Iíve been gone. Tayshaun is a good player. I guess thatís what they wanted -- a guy who doesnít need the ball. Tay is a good person and a good player. You canít downplay what heís done. Heís a champion. Austin has a lot of potential. People in Toronto love Ed Davis. If they think they can go all the way with it, more power to them.

Q.: Whatís your reaction to Griz owner Robert Peraís assertion that the Griz are a ďfar more dangerous playoff teamĒ because of the trade?

A.: Well, good luck. Of course they want to make their stuff look good. Theyíve got rookie GMs and owners trying to justify what theyíre doing and Iíve moved on. Thatís the only thing thatís surprised me is even after a trade my name is still being brought up with ownership. Itís crazy. Thatís whatís really crazy. Yíall forced me to move on so why donít yíall move on. Live with your decision. Iíve already moved on. Iím thinking about the Toronto Raptors. Thatís what I am now. Those guys (in Memphis) are my boys. I talked to Zach (Randolph on Monday) and Iíve talked to Mike (Conley). That relationship isnít something that just ends. But Iím not thinking about the Grizzlies on a professional level right now.

Q.: Did you ask for a trade?

A.: No. I never forced their hand. I know itís a business. Everybody in the whole league knew they were going to have to make a move. We at least thought it was going to be over the summer.

Q.: Coach Lionel Hollins wanted to keep the team together, too. What was your relationship with Hollins?

A.: With him, we had a relationship where sometimes we went through good and bad times. Heíd say some things that would make me think and Iíd say something to make him think. Thatís a good player/coach relationship. There were times during the middle of every season when heíd call me in a say I was playing (poorly), and heíd try to motivate me. We were out in the open with everything. Heís been there to help me since I got there.

Q.: What did Raptors coach Dwane Casey initially say to you that stuck?

A.: He said, ĎWe need you to be great in order for us to be good.í Obviously, now Iím in a situation where I feel like the floor is open. Iím still being me. Iím just allowed to be me more because the floor is open. I can go out there and use all of my talents. I could have done it in Memphis maybe. But when you have so many good players you sacrifice.

Q.: How have you been received by fans in Toronto?

A.: Itís been great. The fans really come out. As of right now this has been a blessing in disguise for me. I want to build something here. With DeMar (DeRozan) and Kyle and Andrea (Bargnani) the sky is the limit.

Q.: What will your mindset be when the game tips off against the Memphis Grizzlies? Will you try to score a lot to prove a point?

A.: Nah. I think youíve just got to let the game come to you and play for your teammates. Honestly, Iíll be ready to get it over with. Itíll be weird but not as weird as when I finally play in Memphis.

Wed Feb 20th, 2013, 05:41 PM

Joey

Nice find!
Found this one interesting:

Quote:

With DeMar (DeRozan) and Kyle and Andrea (Bargnani) the sky is the limit.

Guess he's a fan of Andrea?

Wed Feb 20th, 2013, 07:20 PM

mcHAPPY

Quote:

joey_hesketh wrote:

Nice find!
Found this one interesting:

Guess he's a fan of Andrea?

I think he meant Jonas?..... :)

Thu Feb 21st, 2013, 12:42 AM

ReubenJRD

Ugh, it was a poor game by our two best players. Gay was really, really poor tonight. Got caught up in trying to do it himself. I understand he's the leader, and we're going to rely on him for a lot, BUT, it's still a team game.